Midge's Lost Bowl

  "Hi Midge," said Jake as he strolled up the sidewalk to the front porch.  "What are you doing?"
  "I'm trying to find my dog dish," said Midge.
  "Where did you see it last?" asked Jake.
  "Next to my dog house in the back yard," said Midge.  "It was there this morning when I ate my breakfast."
  "Did your owner pick it up and take it in the house when you finished eating?" asked Jake.
  "No, she left for work after she brought it out to me.  I ate my breakfast, turned around and went to the front yard for a minute and when I came back, it was gone," said Midge.
  "You didn't see anyone around the house?" asked Jake.
  "No," said Midge.  "And I know the bowl didn't get legs and walk away."
  "Did you hear anything?" asked Jake.
  "No, this sounds like some kind of trickery that Booker-T would pull," said Midge. 
  "What trickery is that?" asked Booker-T as he approached the porch.  "You think I did something?"
  "Hi Booker-T," greeted Jake.  "Were you here earlier this morning?"
  "No," said Booker-T leaning over to Jake and whispering in his ear.  "What does trickery mean?"
  "Have you been playing tricks on Midge again?" asked Jake.
  "No, I haven't been here," smiled Booker-T.  "What happened Midge?"
  "Someone took my dog dish and I can't find it anymore," said Midge as she paced back and forth.
  "Have you checked with Gabby?" asked Booker-T.  "He sees a lot of things form his high spot above us all."
  "I haven't seen Gabby this morning," said Midge. "I will ask him whenever he comes to the house."
Suddenly, from the back of the yard, they heard a loud banging noise.  Midge looked at Jake and he looked at her and shrugged his shoulders.  The three slowly walked to the back of the garage to see what was making all that noise. As they peeked around the corner of the garage where the noise was coming from, they saw a little squirrel trying to get Midge's bowl through the hole in the fence.  He could get through the hole, but couldn't get the bowl to go through it.  He would drop it and then pick it up and try it again. 
  "Hey!" called Midge as she stepped around the corner.  "Where are you going with my bowl?"
  "This is your bowl?" asked the little squirrel.
  "Yes!" snapped Midge.  "Where are you taking it?"
  "Do you always pick up things from someone's yard and take them without knowing who they belong to?" asked Jake.
  "No, not always," said the little squirrel.  "I saw the bowl just laying there and thought it would make a good place for my nuts."
  "Well, it is mine," said Midge. "You can just carry it back to my dog house where you found it, Please."
  "Okay," said the little squirrel. "I'm sorry.  I'll take it back. Do you have an old bowl that I can have for my nuts?"
   "Come on by the house later," said Jake.  "I have an old one you can have."
   "Thanks," said the little squirrel as he put back Midge's bowl.
   "What is your name?" asked Midge.  "I'm Midge, that is Jake and the big cat over there is Booker-T."
   "I'm Rusty," said the squirrel.
   "Well, hello Rusty," said Jake.  "Would you like to be friends and play with us?"
   "I'd like that," said Rusty.  "You are mad because I took the bowl?"
   "No," said Midge.  "It's okay.  We don't hold grudges or stay angry if you really want to be friends."
   "I'd like that," said Rusty.  "You don't care that I am a squirrel?"
  "No, We learned that friends are friends no matter what they are," said Midge.  "Just remember, before you take something and be sure you can have it first."
    "Great," said Rusty.  "I will ask if I see something I want."
   Booker-T laughed and winked at Rusty. Booker-T's middle name was "Trickery" according to Midge.  Now we have another one among us that Midge can wonder about.